Sayville Fire District Receives $45K Grant

US Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand Thursday announced $45,050 in federal funding for the Sayville Fire District allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. 

This grant will go towards purchasing a new breathing air replenishment system which provides firefighters with the ability to refill their self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) bottles with clean, filtered air before, during and after emergency responses. The funding was 

“The Sayville Fire District is extremely grateful in being awarded this much needed grant,” said Sayville Fire District Manager, Lawrence Santangelo. “The system will provide significant benefits relating to firefighter, public health and safety and cost effectiveness.”

The new breathing air replenishment system will be used before, during or after structural fires, vehicle fires, hazardous materials incidents, carbon monoxide alarms and other situations that require a SCBA. It will also be used to refill the SCBA cylinder bottles immediately following training exercises that the firefighters attend each year.

Gillibrand emphasized the importance of firefighters using the newest equipment in the field.

“It’s our responsibility to ensure that our first responders have a safe working environment and the most up-to-date equipment so they can respond to emergencies efficiently and effectively.”

Schumer said this investment means that first responders will be better equipped to quickly and safely respond to emergencies in the region.

“These funds will help ensure that our local heroes have the critically important turn out gear that protects them during fires, and allows them to continue to do their life-saving work as efficiently and safely as possible," he said.

The Sayville Fire District is a partner in a multi-district cooperative that shares an Air Van, a truck that is equipped with a refill station and spare SCBA cylinders. This cooperative involves three other fire districts that take turns refilling the Air Van on a quarterly schedule using their in-house systems. One of the districts uses the Air Van as their primary means of refilling their cylinders.

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, established by FEMA within the Department of Homeland Security, is part of an effort to increase the nation’s emergency response preparation. This program provides federal funding to first responder organizations for the acquisition of personal protective equipment, firefighting vehicles, and emergency response equipment. The funds also help provide emergency response trainings.